


People Who Like Beer are Dumb

by Kateera



Series: All In a Summer [10]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Crushes, M/M, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-23
Updated: 2017-08-23
Packaged: 2018-12-18 21:05:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11882814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kateera/pseuds/Kateera
Summary: Jim invites Oswald to a picnic in his neighborhood. Food, feelings, and a final decision on beer.





	People Who Like Beer are Dumb

**Author's Note:**

> I don't actually have anything against beer, and so long as it's a specific type, I even like it...but it's an acquired taste in my book so, this is the reason Oswald sticks to champagne. :D  
> Thanks for sticking with this story! Can you believe there's 10 parts already??  
> I have a beta now, so thank you to the talented [thekeyholder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekeyholder) for looking over this installment for me. Any other mistakes are of course, all my own :)  
> Enjoy and as always, comments are more than welcome!

A large number of picnic tables lined the street and barbecue grills threw smoke into the air, filling the cul de sac with the smell of burgers and chicken and the never ending noise of conversations flowing like rivers through the crowd. Everywhere Oswald looked, there were people eating and drinking and children running in circles or chasing each other. It was like spying through a keyhole into a different world. Spotting Jim next to a table laden with salads and goodies, he sighed in relief and slipped between the other party-goers to reach Jim's side. 

 

"Hello," Oswald chirped as he skidded to a stop. "Quite the party you've got going on here."

 

Jim laughed and draped an arm over his shoulder, a now familiar gesture with new meaning since he knew how Jim felt about him. "Hi yourself. You're crashing a neighborhood block party, also known as the Suburban Gossip Fest. I swear my mom only comes to these things to remind everyone that she is the gossip queen."

 

"I'm not crashing, you invited me," Oswald said, pushing his elbow into Jim’s side and laughing at his exaggerated yelp.

 

“You hungry? Some of the stuff here is actually edible.” Jim linked his arm in Oswald’s as they walked to the beginning of the food line. 

 

Squinting out at the crowd, Oswald frowned at a familiar figure. "Isn't that Brandon?"

 

Jim looked over and nodded. "Yeah, his house is a few streets over." He turned them around before Brandon could spot them. "Come on, let’s go grab our food and find a good vantage point."

 

Jim dragged him to the utensil table, grabbing plates, plastic ware, and napkins, and Oswald followed his lead when it came to picking out food. 

 

"Ignore anything orange and green, or anything that has fruit mixed with pasta. Ms. Tebb still refuses to believe her salads are disgusting. The hamburgers with cheese are good, but only if it's yellow." Jim grabbed two patties off the tray and then gestured to the burger patties oozing with white cheese. "Swiss cheese is gross."

 

"I like swiss," Oswald countered and grabbed his own patties. They went down the line, piling their plates with an assortment of salads and desserts. When they reached the end, Oswald stared at his plate and shook his head. "This is so much. I'll never eat it all."

 

Jim grinned. "I believe in you."

 

"I hate you," Oswald said, sticking out his tongue.

 

“Promises, promises,” Jim said, waggling his eyebrows and winking.

 

Oswald blushed and tried to hide his face, his whole body flooding with warmth at the gentle flirting. He still didn’t know how to handle the small shows of affection and he worried that Jim’s first kiss would cause him to faint. Jim tipped his head back up and smiled at him as if no one else was around. 

 

“You’re worrying again,” Jim whispered, his eyes soft and fond. “Stop it.”

 

"Jimbo! I thought I'd missed you!" Brandon's voice echoed through the crowd and Jim sighed.

 

Oswald hid behind Jim, shaking and trying to will the blush away from his cheeks before Brandon noticed anything strange. 

 

"Hey, Brand. Free food too impossible to resist?” 

 

Oswald cursed Jim’s ability to sound casual while he was completely wrecked by the whole encounter.

 

"Well, sure, but yours always gets better beer." Brandon waved a can at them and took a gulp. "Where you headed?"

 

Jim pointed to the balcony of his house. "Oswald and I were headed for higher ground."

 

Lowering his head and sighing, Oswald stepped out from behind Jim and gave a small wave to Brandon.

 

"Oh, sorry, didn't see you there." Brandon looked confused and turned back to Jim after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

 

"That was the point," Oswald muttered under his breath. Brandon was fine for a Halo team member, but whenever they met in person, he managed to get under Oswald's skin with his mocking jokes. He didn’t want to ruin the day with Jim, so he patted him on the shoulder and pointed to the balcony. Jim nodded and flashed him an apologetic smile. 

 

_ Always trying to please everyone.  _ Oswald thought, weaving through the crowd and leaving Jim to talk to the annoying senior. 

 

As he made his way to Jim’s house, he passed an open cooler with cans of beer piled under a layer of ice. Glancing up to see if anyone was watching, Oswald grabbed a couple of cans and stuffed them up into his shirt. He raced to Jim’s house and up the stairs to the balcony situated in Jim's mother's room. The small deck offered a great view of the party as well as the whole street.

 

_ No wonder Ms. Gordon gets all the best gossip. She could see everything without leaving her bedroom. _

 

Placing the beer against the wall, he sat cross legged on the wooden slats and rearranged his food plate to keep the seafood salad from touching his burger. Munching on his chips and tapping his legs against the bars of the balcony, Oswald watched Jim and Brandon talk, the former continuingly shaking his head while the latter gestured and pouted. Jim pointed up at him and Oswald resisted the urge to duck below the railing. Brandon’s shocked look gave him a hint about what they might be talking about and he threw Jim a glare. If they weren’t talking about him, Oswald would have found the whole exchange hilarious, but as it was, he wanted Brandon gone and Jim away from the crowds. He gave a whoop of delight as Brandon threw his hands in the air and walked away and Jim looked up at the sound. Oswald popped a chip in his mouth with a grin and waved. 

 

When Jim made it to the balcony, Oswald scooted to the side, giving Jim room to sit and lean against the closed door.

 

“Why are we friends with him?” Jim asked with a sigh.

 

“You’re friends with him,” Oswald corrected. “I use his headshot abilities to sneak past Covenant Elites.”

 

Jim giggled and nodded. “He’s an ass like eighty percent of the time, but the other twenty is alright. He stuck by me when my dad died, even stayed over while Mom and Roger were fighting about everything, from the casket to the headstone.” 

 

Oswald put his plate on the deck and wrapped his arms around Jim, squeezing in silent comfort. Strong arms circled around him and Oswald smiled, blushing as he rubbed his nose against Jim’s throat. 

 

“Thanks,” Jim said at last, drawing back and picking up his food. “Anyway, he knows I’m into you now.”

 

“Why did you tell him?” Oswald asked, his heart pounding at the thought of someone else knowing.

 

_ We haven’t even kissed yet! _

 

Jim shuddered. “A couple of girls from school wanted to meet me and Brandon apparently told them I’d be ‘down for whatever’”. The air quotes and look of disgust told Oswald exactly what Jim thought of that idea. “I couldn’t think of a lie fast enough, so I told him we were starting to date.”

 

Oswald paled and swallowed a mouthful of food. “And he freaked?”

 

“Yeah.” Jim shook his head. “To be fair, he freaked because it was you, not because I was into another guy.”

 

Oswald snorted. “Good to know he’s not a homophobic asshole, just the regular kind.”

 

“Right?” Jim said, poking Oswald in the side with a smile. “I’m hoping he just needs time to process and he’ll come around.”

 

Oswald shrugged and reached behind him, pulling the smuggled beer cans out. “Want one?”

 

Jim choked on a bite of salad. “Where did you get those?”

 

“Someone’s unguarded cooler. I’ve never had beer before. Is it any good?” Oswald popped a tab and wrinkled his nose at the smell. 

 

Jim sighed and grabbed the other can, looking at the label and frowning. “Well, it’s not the super cheap stuff, but I’m not a fan of beer, so I’ve never had this.”

 

“No?” Oswald tilted his head. “So all those rumors around school of you passing out drunk at Jenny MacIntyre’s house?”

 

“I was sick off my ass from the flu,” Jim whispered with a wiggle of his eyebrows. “Brandon dragged me out and I ended up sleeping on the couch the whole time. He made up the drunk story because he’s pathological.”

 

Oswald giggled and leaned hard against Jim’s side. “So, you’re really a giant dork under all that jock boy reputation?”

 

“Guilty as charged,” Jim said, before popping the tab on his own beer and raising it. “Solidarity?”

 

Oswald picked his can up and tapped it against Jim’s. “Solidarity.”

 

Oswald kept his eyes on Jim, watching his lips part and his eyes sparkle with mischief as he took a swig. Following suit, Oswald clenched his jaw and forced himself to swallow.

 

“People who like beer are dumb,” Oswald said once he could talk without gagging. “That is disgusting.”

 

Jim laughed and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “The cheap stuff actually tastes a little better than this shit.”

 

Taking a bite of brownie, Oswald sighed in relief as the chocolate washed away the bitter taste. He pushed the beer cans to the other side of the balcony, keeping the slight sour smell as far from him as possible. Handing the other half of the brownie to Jim, he leaned back against the door and put his hands behind his head. He was full and warm and he closed his eyes to soak in the good feelings. The beer he could have done without, but it was still something he shared with Jim and it made the day more solid in his mind. When he opened his eyes, squinting at the light, he found Jim staring at him and smiling.

 

“What?” 

 

Jim scooted back so he could rest his head against Oswald’s shoulder. “I like it when you look happy.”

 

Oswald blushed and in a moment of bravery, pressed a kiss into Jim’s hair. “Me too.”

 

Jim hummed and closed his eyes. Sitting above the block party in full swing, Oswald felt as if they floated in a bubble and he was perfectly happy to stay there for the rest of his life.

  
  



End file.
